James slowly lumbered towards them, his power ballooning out in so many directions it was impossible to keep track. He smiled and laughed and parried his own shadows. His face was stark, devoid of the spark with which he'd once been imbued. Why hadn't their parents helped him to control it? Why hadn't they helped her? She blinked. They'd been afraid. She didn't want to acknowledge it, but she was ashamed of their actions. They could have prevented this, but they hadn't. They hadn't even tried. They'd been so frightened of being rejected by humans that they'd forgotten what was truly important and now humanity was about to pay for it in full. They had been afraid of their own children.

"You're looking good sissy," smiled James. The black veins wriggled happily under his skin. She could feel Jake's anger building and had his arm in a vice before he could even twitch.

"That will not do any good," she hissed. His eyes darkened.

"He ruined my life. He deserves everything he gets". She gritted her teeth.

"I will make sure he gets it, Jake". James watched their little exchange with a wry smile. His teeth seemed to be turning black too. He shunted closer.

"James, I know you're hurting. I know you're in pain. I understand. Please, you don't have to do this. Let me help you," Alexa began. She could see the agony under the façade of his power; it was for Hope. That girl he'd loved in the village. He might as well have been screaming her name at her through the link. James rocked back on his heels and laughed.

"You always try to see the good in people, Alexa. How, I've missed you. Now you're here though, we can finally be reunited". He wasn't making any sense. She could smell his motives, but they didn't match up to what he was saying.

"Reunited? Brother, what are you talking about?"

"In death, little sister. I've been waiting for you to arrive.. For a moment, your death would have meant nothing. It wouldn't have been for a cause. Now you do have cause to die," he said.

Is this normally how your conversations go? Jake asked cautiously through their link. It was hard not to feel just a little comforted by his words.

"What cause is that brother? I know you miss her, but this isn't the way. Think of our parents! They wouldn't have wanted this"—

"Don't you dare mention them! Their wants and desires for us meant nothing. They betrayed us before we were even born. They deserved to die!" This is time it was her turn to shout.

"Our parents were not perfect, but who the Halve is? They didn't deserve to die like that, James. You know that!" She forced her voice to calm.

"If you will not think of them, then think of Hope. Would she have wanted this?" It was a mistake to speak her name. She knew that as soon as the words left her lips. James flung out his ashes, sent her rolling against the far wall. She fell into with a smack, jarring her muscles.

"Alexa!"

"Jake, stay back!" she wheezed. Her ribs ached, but they hadn't broken. Not yet. James inched closer.

"Don't you dare speak her name. Not to me. Not now". The pain in his voice was something even she had never heard before. He'd really loved her.

"Without her, this world means nothing. You, dear sister," he spat. "Mean nothing". She could sense Jake's anger as it reached boiling point, but she couldn't get to him in time. He lunged, and instantly began thrashing and gulping in desperate breaths as her brother's ashes surrounded him. Barely seconds later, they had thrown him to the floor.

"Your fight is with me, brother," she said grimly. "Leave Jake out of this".

"On the contrary, Alexa. He is the missing piece of the puzzle. I'll get to that in a moment. It is you whom I want to feel my pain first".

"I do feel it," she said. "I felt it that night when you killed our family and I've felt it every single day and every single hour since". James snorted again, blackness dripping from his hands like tar.

"That's because you're still under the illusion that our parents were good people. You're still under the illusion that this world deserves to be saved". This time it was her turn to advance.

"It is no illusion brother. It is what I believe. Whether you like it or not, this world was our home". He laughed, but his voice cracked a little. He gazed across the frame of the building and straight into her eye socket. The mark of what he'd done.

"It isn't my home. Not without..." he trailed off. "Well, that doesn't really matter. Nothing matters. Accept our reunion. Will you join me sister? It is better if you come willingly".

Alexa, what's he talking about? asked Jake. She grimaced. The telepathy was beginning to pinch her brain. From the other side of the hall, she gave him a look: I don't know. She would have to find out. Relenting, she said,

"What will be better, brother?"

"Your death," he smiled. The smile wasn't horrid, nor was it satisfied. It wasn't soulless, and it wasn't cruel. It was full of sorrow. It was a bitter, and sadly twisted smile. There was no semblance of her brother in there. None at all.

"How will my death help you? No amount of killing in the world could bring back what you have lost". Another mistake.

"Your death, Alexa. And mine. I'm going to use you to bring Halfirr into this world and drown these humans in the Blott Rye. So, will you come willingly or not?" Halfirr. He'd been planning this from the beginning, somehow. Before his Hope had evaporated. She could feel it. Maybe he'd never loved anything after all. No, she refused to believe that. Someone had done something to him.

Our parents. The thought pained her, but she couldn't deny that it was true. In a way, they'd made him like this. In a way, she realised she'd helped as well. In truth they were all monsters. Enabling each other to strive for hatred.

"Brother, please. Think about this. All these innocent people"—

"Humans can never be innocent. No one can ever be innocent. Did you ever question why our mother snuck out every month? Did you ever question why she was allowed to go to the hustle and bustle of London while we were kept indoors? Did you ever ask our father how they met? No. Of course you didn't," he snapped.

"James, what are you talking about? What does any of this have to do with our mother?" She held her arms down, trying to calm him. The ashes stoked into black flames and smoke whirled around her. Titling her head, she motioned for Jake to remain where he was. He nodded. That paleness had re-entered his face again; she could hear the slowing of his pulse. Out of the corner of her, she saw James watching him with a profound interest.

"James?" She tried to steer him away. "What does this have to do with our mother?"

"She lied to us!" he screamed. His shoulders sagged, the ashes following his movements. "Our mother was a Vaskel".

Alexa's first thought was to deny it, but the more she thought about those years spent in the manor, all of those subtle hints that had been sitting right under her nose, she knew he was right. Her mother had been unable to enter Halfirr when the Chainlink had attacked. Her mother hadn't been able to use a telepathic link. There'd be so many things she'd never noticed.

"How did you come by this information?" James wrung his hands directly through his power, ripping another hole in the wall.

"He told me".

"He who? A name, brother!" she said. His lies were growing old and weary.

"I do not know His name. But He told me the truth. He saved my Hope". The way he spoke about 'Him' made her begin to wonder. Was He behind all this? James's eyes stared glassily across the room. He wasn't himself. Her brother had always been so rational – a maker of rules, of guidelines. He'd been her guidance.

"What else did 'He' say?" James laughed.

"You still do not believe me? Of course, you're little Alexa. Loyal to the end. Even though our Mother lied to us, you still defend her"—

"What is there to defend!?" she exclaimed. "She was our mother, what does her species matter? She made us, cared for us".

"Lied to us," James cut in. "Manipulated us. Do you have any idea of the gravity of the truth she kept from us? She was never even going to tell us her real name, her real title".

The title that should have been mine, she heard him echo silently down the link. He mustn't have noticed, because he carried on speaking.

"Sarahliene Jacoa, the Highest Vaskelian Dynasty to date". He drew out the word 'highest' so painfully that Alexa's desire to tackle him to the ground intensified.

"Jacoa? Wait a minute, that's," Jake swallowed. She turned, and even James patiently waited for him to continue.

"It doesn't matter," he said shortly. Before her brother could even think about moving, Alexa stepped in.

"Tell me. It's alright". He nodded, seemingly unconvinced. She didn't exactly blame him.

"When Wolfie and I met she introduced herself to me as Lilly Jacoa".

"Stupid wretch!" cried James. "I told her not to meddle".

Oh, but I have a medal in meddling, imaginary Wolfie chuckled. Alexa fought a smile and tried to stop listening. She faced her brother, eye squinting against her gradually building rage.

"Is that truly why you killed her? Over a lie?" she said.

"She kept all of that wealth from us. All of that power. With the Jacoa status, we could have ruled the Thirteen Worlds. We didn't have to stay cooped up in that dreaded house!" He lashed out and Alexa caught his ashes and forced them into greying dust. James fell back a step, head titled in surprise.

"You killed them over status? Our family? Our mother and father loved us, no matter what they were or where we came from!" She snatched up the banister railing and tore it off the stairs. Throwing it at him, she shoved Jake behind a burnt-out table. The banister tangled around her brother's ashes, slowing him just enough for her to make her move. Eventually, James ducked out of the metal, swinging around to meet her attack. Their fists collided.

"They locked us up sister. I hardly call that an act of love," he grimaced. She hesitated.

"They were afraid, James. People can be afraid, and they do bad things. Because of us. For us. They... They didn't know what to do". He pushed her back, one handed. After regaining her balance, ashes slammed into her, finally knocking her off her feet.

"They. Lied!" More ashes, thicker than the ones from before. Crossing her arms over her chest, she knelt and waited for the blow. Holding firm, blackness crashed into her in waves.

"And that justifies killing them? Over a power that barely surpasses your own?" Breaking the attack in two, she ran toward him. Particles gathered, and Magik flared in her hand. Jumping up, she forced it directly into his path. James was thrown backwards and hit the floor with a thud. Blood dripped from his mouth.

"He showed me the light," he said. "And I will repay Him with your ashes". His arms swerved, and a strange black light flashed, making darkness gather. That darkness formed a sword. This sword was half corporeal, half ghostly with glass-like ashes flittering around the blade. She'd read about this, in her father's study. The Ashdon. A blade with no known challenger. Seeing her face, James smiled.

"Now you've seen what He has shown me, you will be more inclined to listen to what I have to say. You too, Jake". He looked across to the upturned table and Jake reluctantly emerged.

"Jake," she warned.

"I know what I'm doing. This is my fight too, you know. I'm done being lied to". He glanced at her as he said it and she immediately looked away. She knew what she'd done – lied to him – and she'd spend every moment of her life regretting that decision.

"Lovely," said James. "So good to see you're finally choosing your battles, my son".